Over the past weekend (from December 23 to 24), the number of vehicle traffic at the Zhuhai Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge reached 29,000, with 200,000 passengers, setting a new record for weekend traffic this year.
Notably, over 18,000 vehicles with single license plates from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs) headed north to the Chinese mainland through the Zhuhai Port during the weekend, marking a weekend high since the implementation of the northbound travel programs for Macao and Hong Kong vehicles earlier this year.
(Photo/Nanfang Plus)
Amid the public holidays in Hong Kong and Macao, the wave of northbound travel boosted consumption and tourism in Zhuhai. The streets and parking lots of major shopping districts, supermarkets, and parks are filled with vehicles from Hong Kong and Macao.
A single-plate car owner from Tsing Yi, Hong Kong, mentioned that it took him only 45 minutes to drive to Zhuhai. He visits the city two or three times a week, for dining and shopping. "This holiday, I've planned a road trip to Xinhui district of Jiangmen and Zhongshan city with a few friends," he said.
Starting from November 1 this year, the Chinese mainland has abolished the "black code", the health declaration requirement for entry and exit, resulting in a significant decrease in the average processing time for passenger vehicles at the Zhuhai Port from 1 minute and 30 seconds to less than 1 minute.
"On December 23 and 24, the total number of northbound vehicles at Zhuhai Port reached 18,000, with 138,000 passengers, marking 1.6 times and 2.2 times the figures of the outbound direction, respectively. The clearance volume for Hong Kong single-plate cars exceeded 10,000, surpassing Macao's single-plate cars by 1.25 times and setting a new weekend record. This signifies a new stage of integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," stated an official from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge checkpoint.
In response to the increasing number of passengers, the Zhuhai Port officially implemented a mobile inspection mode on the passenger lane starting on December 23. On-duty police officers can process entry and exit procedures for eligible passengers on the spot, eliminating the need to collect individual documents and proceed to fixed inspection points. During peak hours, the average waiting time for passengers has been reduced by 20 percent to 30 percent.
Editors | Nan Hu, Will, Lydia Liu, James
